Renowned Indian artist Jyoti Bhatt showcases his photographs of India’s craft heritage in Craft, Community and Memory, a new exhibition in New Delhi.
About the Exhibition
Gallery Vayu and LATITUDE 28 present Craft, Community and Memory. It features 32 photographs by Jyoti Bhatt. The show runs from 21 May to 31 May 2026 at Gallery Vayu on Lodhi Road.
Image 1: Jyoti Bhatt | Image 2: Three Girls | Kutch, Gujarat | 1979 | Image Credit: Gallery Vayu
Bhatt captures murals, ritual marks, home interiors, and daily objects. These works highlight India’s living craft traditions from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, and more. They blend documentation with keen observation.
Artist’s Journey
Jyotindra Manshankar Bhatt, known as Jyoti Bhatt, studied painting and printmaking at M.S. University, Baroda. In the early 1960s, he trained in Italy and New York, learning abstract expressionism, fresco, and mural techniques. His style evolved from cubism and pop art to folk-inspired motifs.
From the late 1960s, Bhatt documented vanishing crafts, especially Gujarat’s tribal designs. These shaped his etchings, intaglios, and prints with symbols like peacocks, parrots, lotuses, and gods. As a key figure in the Baroda School, he taught at MSU Baroda for decades.
He said, “Using the camera instead of a sketch-book, I realised that it was not merely a fast means of documentation, but also one that maintained a higher degree of objective fidelity.”
Recent Shows and Legacy
At 92, Bhatt works from his Baroda studio. Recent solos include Through the Line & the Lens at LATITUDE 28, New Delhi (2025), and Revisations at Vadehra Art Gallery (2024). Group shows feature Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art (2025) and Barbican Centre, London (2024–25).
Awards include Padma Shri (2019), Lalit Kala Akademi Fellowship (2022), and Lifetime Achievements. His works grace collections like MoMA New York, British Museum, and Kiran Nadar Museum of Art.
Image 1: Lakhavad | Gujarat | 1981 | Image 2: Mandana | Rajasthan | 1985 | Image Credit: Gallery Vayu
Key Themes
The images trace painted walls, shrines, and handcrafted spaces across generations. They reflect post-colonial India’s cultural shifts. Artist Rekha Rodwittiya notes Bhatt’s photos evoke debates on modernity and identity.
Curatorial Vision
Bhavna Kakar, Founder-Director of LATITUDE 28 and Editor of TAKE on Art, says, “Jyoti Bhatt’s camera captures subtle nuances with a poetic sensibility, transforming his photographic archive into a kind of modern folklore.” The show sparks talks on art and society. Gallery Vayu spotlights craft history.
Exhibition Details
- Title: Craft, Community and Memory – Photographs by Jyoti Bhatt
- Venue: Gallery Vayu, 14, Main Market, Lodhi Road, New Delhi
- Dates: 21 May (Thursday) – 31 May (Sunday), 2026
- Time: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM, open 7 days a week
This article has been created from the press kit shared with Abir Pothi. For press releases and related queries, write to editor@abirpothi.com.
Cover Image: Girl and Mandana | Rajasthan | 1989 | Image Credit: Gallery Vayu
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